Texas Cholem and Pursuing Christ

Sooner or later the question is asked by a majority of those who find themselves still awake at 2:00 AM. A fresh pot of coffee in the corner of the kitchen, a list of Hebrew nouns and verbs to memorize and a 1000 pages of Biblical, Systematic, Pastoral and any other theology needing to be read in a “that’s not right” amount of time. What is the question you ask? It is the question that should be asked sooner than later. The question that, when answered, will either fill your sails to complete your voyage or cause you to abandon all hope and turn back from where you came. It is the question – everyone now – “Why am I here doing this?”


Is it because I wanted to know that the cholem has the “note” sound? To know that there is a dominant view in Scriptural criticism that attacks the role of the Holy Spirit placing man as primary editor of the Synoptic Gospels? How about to be able to proficiently interpret the Greek New Testament into English? Don’t get me wrong, all of these are important on some level in the pursuit of a M.Div. or whatever degree it may be you are striving for. But is the acquisition of knowledge the only thing that sustains the student through the late nights and the insurmountable amounts of reading and writing? Or is it something more?

We recently had a convocation service welcoming new students into Shepherds Theological Seminary and this very question was brought up by the vice president of the student body. His answer was both simple and wise.

You, me, we are here in pursuing Jesus Christ.

This is a duh answer that can be easily forgotten in the heat of the battle. It is the pursuit to known Him more. To known Him in Hebrew, Greek, church history and in all of those theologies. It is to know Him more so that (purpose clause – see I’m learning something of interpretative methodology) you can teach and lead others to know Jesus more.

So as we set out on this adventure together (whether you are a fellow seminarian or living vicariously through this blog) our pursuit of knowledge is not for knowledge sake, but to know our Blessed Lord and Savior as even bigger than we have ever imagined.

Gentlemen start your engines!